


beneath the milky twilight

by crybbybilly



Category: Adam (2009), Charlie Countryman (2013), Hannibal Extended Universe - Fandom
Genre: Childhood Friends, Clumsy Kisses, Dumb Teenage Boys, First Kiss, Fluff, Holding Hands, M/M, Nigel is still a head ass, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-12 00:00:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28501149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crybbybilly/pseuds/crybbybilly
Summary: It doesn’t take much to convince Adam to sneak out of the house these days, the promise of sitting under the stars is usually enough to have Adam climbing out the window under Nigel’s careful guidance.
Relationships: Nigel (Charlie Countryman)/Adam Raki
Comments: 4
Kudos: 84





	beneath the milky twilight

**Author's Note:**

> this is my first time writing anything for the hannibal fandom and of course it’s spacedogs!!
> 
> all grammar and spelling mistakes are mine bc well, that’s life 😂

It doesn’t take much to convince Adam to sneak out of the house these days, the promise of sitting under the stars is usually enough to have Adam climbing out the window under Nigel’s careful guidance. 

The old lattice work along the side of the two story home groans under Adam’s weight but holds steady and secure, reinforced by Nigel’s own hands after he took an unfortunate fall the summer before.

Mr. Raki helped him of course, no use in keeping secrets from a man who keeps a watchful eye on his only son who’s needs differ from most. In fact, the older man usually waves at Nigel from the window as they pass, providing Adam a false sense of rebellion so long that Nigel only pulls this stunt on Friday nights, and returns Adam safely before midnight.

Adam beams brightly when he finally makes it down, breath coming out in dissipating puffs of night air. “Are we going to the park, Nigel?”

Nigel watches as Mr. Raki’s shadow disappears behind the curtains before turning to face Adam, in his outstretched hand holds a travel mug of hot chocolate. “Of course, darling.” He smiles back at Adam just as bright.

———

They always go to the park

In this sleepy little part of New York, there isn’t much else to do, and Nigel wouldn’t dare drag Adam anywhere else. He’s a fuck up in a lot of ways, his so called permanent record or whatever these stuck up American teachers are always going on about is probably longer than his arm at this point, but he’s always good with Adam, he’s always good to Adam. 

Adam accepts the travel mug with a small smile, and Nigel knocks their shoulders together before starting off down the street.

It’s a few minutes past 11pm, the nights are getting colder as December creeps closer. Adam’s hands are covered by mittens as they seek out Nigel’s bare fingers. “You don’t have gloves on.” Adam informs the other, and doesn’t let go as they walk in comfortable silence to the playground near the center of their little suburban neighborhood.

“We should be able to see Saturn tonight, Nigel. The sky is clear.” 

Nigel can hear the warmth in Adam’s tone, glances over to see the private smile he knows Adam keeps close to his chest. His hair is getting long again, Adam’s usual well kept curls are falling into his eyes. Nigel reaches out and brushes them back.

“How can you see through all this, huh?”

Adam startles but doesn’t pull away, instead stands straighter. They’ve been working on the touch thing. “I don’t like the barber shop, it's too loud. I miss the shop with the train seats, it was nicer.”

“It was for children.”

“I’m still a child according to state law following the age of majority.” 

Nigel reaches out to ruffle Adam’s hair again, he knows a lost fight when he sees one. He has no doubt in his mind that Adam has made this same argument to his father. “Alright, but don’t complain about jack shit when you refuse to get it cut.”

Adam smiles again, wider this time, and walks ahead to the parks playground knowing Nigel will follow behind him. “Fuck off, Nigel.” He sounds entirely too smug, been hanging around Nigel for too damn long.

There’s a merry go round at the center of the playground, it’s old, probably been here since before either of them were alive, but it works despite the dings and the chipped paint. It’s an ugly little thing but the neighborhood keeps it oiled and functioning for some reason, which is more than Nigel can say about the broken swing set (though to be fair he’s the one who broke it). It barely makes a noise as Nigel grips the bar and sends the piece of equipment cutting through the night air with enough force to have Adam holding on for dear life as he sits on it.

Nigel spins it once, twice, three times to build up speed before jumping on. 

His boots hit the metal hard, echoing through the quiet playground. He wouldn’t be surprised if it woke the snooty old lady across the way who’s always bitching at Nigel for smoking.

“I hate it when you do that, Nigel.” Adam pulls his coat closer, curling into the travel mug for warmth.

Nigel grins and settles beside him as the ride starts to slow down. “I know.” 

“Then why do you do that if you know I don’t like it.”

“Because it’s fun.”

Adam frowns, poor kid is going to have frown lines before either of them make it out of high school. “Well I still don’t like it….even if it is _fun_.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Nigel laughs and lies back, head pillowed on his arms which are tucked behind his head to look up at the clear night sky. “Tell me about the stars, Adam.”

Nigel doesn’t have to look up to know that Adam is smiling again, he can feel the shift in the other’s energy. The way he fidgets more with excitement, the audible intake of air as he prepares to spill lecture worthy information to ears that barely understand what the hell the younger of the two is talking about.

It’s not that Nigel doesn’t care about space, he’s learned to care. He’s absorbed bits here and there, but nothing really sticks, not for long anyway. Mostly he likes listening to Adam, enjoys the close press of their bodies as Adam lays down and rest his head on Nigel’s stomach as the merry go round finally comes to a stop.

Adam points to the sky as he speaks, animated and quick, remembering everything. Nigel closes his eyes and listens, these nights are his favorite.

“Are you still sad because Gabby broke up with you?” Adam’s voice is perpetually flat, cutting through the comfortable lull they had fallen into. Nigel knows it’s because of Adam’s specific type of autism, but his flat and sometimes cutting tone still catches Nigel off guard despite having been friends with Adam since elementary school.

“Jesus Christ, Adam. What happened to talking about space?” Nigel cracks an eye open, sits up enough to glare at the brunet whose head still rests against his stomach. “And she didn’t break up with me, we’re still together.”

Adam’s weight shifts from where he lays, a mop of curly brown hair popping up.

“She broke up with you, and she told everyone that you have a tiny dick. She said it at lunch, Nigel, I know you remember because everyone was there.”

“Jesus fucking Christ, I can’t let anything get past you.” Nigel sighs, wishing that he had a cigarette. 

He smoked his last one this morning, and the corner store around the block from their school finally started carding people again after getting busted by the cops. “Why are you bringing this up, did that bitch say something to you? Was it her new boyfriend? I swear to god, Adam, if that cocksucker said something to you I’ll kick his ass into next week.”

Adam shakes his head. “No, I’m just being a good friend.” He says matter of fact, and Nigel doesn’t have anything to refute that with because Adam’s not wrong. 

He’s Nigel’s best friend, his most loyal friend. Ever since that day in 3rd grade when Nigel ‘accidentally’ pushed the tire swing into a kids face for calling Adam names. The kid nearly bit his own lip off and had to get stitches, and Adam’s inability to lie landed Nigel in detention, and suspension. But Adam’s dad found out what happened and showed up to Nigel’s house the following day with a thank you card and a plate full of cookies, ready to speak with Nigel’s mother. Apparently Adam had been having trouble with that kid for a long time. Nigel and Adam have been best friends ever since. 

“Well I don’t want to talk about it right now, okay?.”

“Okay.” Adam settles back down again. “We can talk about something else.”

Nigel reaches down to sink his fingers into Adam’s curls, scratching lightly at the others scalp as they sit once again in comfortable silence. He’s going to miss those long curls when Adam finally caves and cuts his hair, he knows the other hates it, but Nigel likes it at this length. He looks more like the 16 year-old he actually is when his curls become too long to properly tame.

“D-Do you like kissing?” Adam blurts suddenly.

Eyes closed, Nigel humms in acknowledgement. He’s only mildly surprised, and it’s better than questions about his break up with Gabby. Besides, he’s used to the seemingly random questions by now. “Of course I like kissing, I’m a fucking teenage boy. Why the fuck wouldn’t I like kissing?“

There’s a shift in weight on Nigel’s chest, and then a mouth crashing against his own, open and awkward, with far too much teeth. The only redeeming quality about it’s suddenness is that it’s Adam’s mouth, and it’s Adam who’s clutching his shirt with his mitten clad hands as he makes a greedy sound while trying to better slot their mouths together.

“Mmph-adam, _wait_.” Nigel works a hand between them, gently pushing Adam back enough to look at the other in bewilderment. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“Kissing.” Adam replies, in fact he looks quite proud of himself.

“ _Adam_.”

“You said you like kissing and I wanted to kiss you, I’ve thought about it.” He continues to explain.

“You’ve thought about it?” Nigel repeats, his brain still scrambling to catch up, to process the sudden overload of information and the memory of Adam’s tongue attempting to slip into his mouth. 

“Yes, a lot. You don’t have a girlfriend now so I can kiss you.”

Nigel sits up, and Adam holds his ground with one hand pressed to the older boy's chest.

“You have to ask before you kiss someone, Adam.” Nigel wets his lips, saying words he himself doesn’t even live by but Adam is better than him, and Nigel does his best to do right by Adam.

Adam makes a soft wine. “I did ask.”

“You have to ask if you can kiss them.” 

“Oh.” Adam frowns. “Can I kiss you?”

Nigel opens his mouth and pauses, he thinks about Gabby, briefly, fleetingly. Then he thinks about Adam, beautiful, lovely Adam. Loyal, smart, brutally honest Adam. “Yes.” He decides. “Of course you can.”

The second kiss is better than their first, Adam’s mouth is soft and warm. A startling contrast to the cold pink tip of Adam’s nose brushing against Nigel’s cheek. He kisses just as eagerly as before, but Nigel slows him down with a hand on the back of Adam’s neck, thumb pressing just slightly into the others jaw, further coaxing his mouth open.

Their second kiss is perfect, and they both pull away breathless and flushed from more than just the cold.

“Does this mean we’re boyfriends now?”

Nigel laughs and kisses Adam’s cheek. “Fuck no.” he murmures against the cool skin. He can’t help himself. “You have to ask first.”

Adam frowns again but looks determined, and Nigel wonders just how long Adam has waited to kiss him. “Okay, will you be my boyfriend, Nigel?” He sounds so exasperated.

“Yes.” Nigel laughs again and steals another kiss, softer, more brief. It still leaves Adam whimpering into his mouth when he finally pulls away. “I’d love to, darling.”

Adam smiles and lays his head back down on Nigel’s chest. “Good.”

They both miss curfew, it’s worth getting grounded.

**Author's Note:**

> this had been sitting in my google docs since early december, i figured it’s about time i take the plunge and actually post it. 
> 
> leave comments and love 💕


End file.
